These are indeed rapidly perishing, and must finally be lost, while the works of Petrarch shall survive to all eternity Simon Memmi of Siena was nevertheless an excellent painter, highly distinguished in his day, and greatly esteemed at the court of the Pope. In so much that, after the death of his master Giotto, whom he had accompanied to Rome, at the time when the latter executed the Navicella in mosaic and other works, he attained high credit for his successful imitation of that artist’s manner. This was more particularly exemplified in the execution of a Virgin in the portico of St. Peter, and in that of two figures, representing St. Peter and St. Paul,[1] on the wall between the arches of the portico on the outer side, and near the bronze Pine.[2] Especial praise has been given to the portrait of a sacristan of St. Peter’s, whom Simon has depicted in this work hurriedly kindling lamps before the saints, and the merit of the whole caused the artist to be summoned, with very pressing instances, to the court of Avignon, where he produced so many good pictures, both in fresco and distemper, that his works justified the name by which he had been preceded. Having then returned to Siena in high estimation, and being much favoured on that account, he was appointed by the Signoria to paint one of the halls of their Palace in fresco, the subject being a Virgin, with many figures around her, all which Simon executed admirably well, to his great honour and profit. And to prove that he could do no less in distemper than in fresco, he painted a picture[3] in the same Palace, which caused his being appointed to paint two others in the cathedral,[4] with a third picture of the Virgin holding the Child
- ↑ The figures of St. Peter and St. Paul have perished. That of the Virgin is now in the Grotte Scure.
- ↑ This colossal pine is mentioned by Dante, in the Inferno. It is now at the lower end of the Vatican garden, beneath an alcove erected by Brainante.
- ↑ This picture has long been lost.
- ↑ Of these two pictures, the first, painted in 1331, remained long in the sacristy of the cathedral, but was afterwards cut to pieces; and Della Valle mentions having seen relics of it in the Gallery of the Advocate Mariotti, in Rome. The second, an Annunciation, is now in the Gallery of the Uffizj. It bears the following inscription:—“ Simon Martini et Lippus Memmi de Senis me pinxerunt, a.d. 1333.” This picture does not retain its primitive form. Two other pieces—figures of Sant’ Ansano, and Santa Giulietta, both in the same gallery—also belong to it.
